Two Robins. Two Countries. Two Very Different Personalities.
Two Robins. Two Countries. Two Very Different Personalities.
The South Island robin is one of New Zealand's most curious forest birds. If you've ever met one on a walk through the bush, you'll know exactly what I mean.
When I first moved to New Zealand, I remember hearing people talk about robins.
I assumed they meant the little robin I'd grown up with in the UK, the one with the orange breast. A familiar garden visitor that always reminded me of Christmas. Then I met New Zealand's South Island robin.
And although they share a name, they couldn't feel more different.
South Island Robin vs British Robin
The British robin is cautious and happy to watch from a nearby hedge or garden fence, present but always at a careful distance.
The South Island robin is wonderfully curious.
Instead of flying away, it'll often hop closer. Sometimes it'll even follow you through the forest as though it's checking up on you. There's nothing wary about it. It simply seems to want to know what you're doing there, among its trees.
I love that about them.
It's almost impossible not to smile when one appears.
Painting a Personality, Not Just a Bird
As I've been working on this latest painting, I've realised I haven't just been painting another bird.
I've been painting a little personality.
A bird that quietly rewards anyone willing to slow down and spend a few minutes in the forest. That seems like a good reminder in itself, doesn't it? So much of what the forest offers only reveals itself once you stop moving and simply wait.
Perhaps that's why I've become so fond of them.
You can follow the painting as it comes together over on Instagram. I've been sharing a reel of the process as it develops:
More Forest Birds to Come
Over the next few weeks, I'll be introducing a few more of my favourite New Zealand forest birds, each one with its own character and story.
Some will surprise you. Some you might already know and love. But all of them have something to say if you're prepared to stand quietly long enough to listen.
I can't wait to share them with you.
I'd Love to Know...
Have you ever met a South Island robin on a walk through the bush?
Or if you're reading this from overseas: what bird always reminds you of home?
Leave a comment below, or come and say hello over on Instagram. I love hearing your stories.
Want to be the first to know when the South Island robin painting is finished, and hear the stories behind each bird in the series?
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